Chapter 170 A Deceptive Thing
Zhao Qiqi had a mini voice recorder in her pocket, which recorded Yu Qiang's words word by word.
Just as he was about to rush into the room to grab Yu Qiang, he heard a light thud behind him.
Shen Zhenzhu also climbed up to the second floor, greeted Zhao Qiqi, and then pointed to the backyard door to Xiaobai at the edge of the corridor.
Xiao Bai made an "OK" sign and went around to the back door of the convenience store to block it.
The old lady at the convenience store exclaimed "Oh my god!" and then all the elderly people crowded into her shop and closed the door from the inside. Even so, they couldn't help but look out the window.
Unaware that he was surrounded, Yu Qiang was still on the phone discussing what to do with his girlfriend. Suddenly, he saw a shadow outside the sliding glass door of the balcony: "Who's there? Who's there!"
Zhao Qiqi waved to him: "Hello, please open the door."
"Ah!" Yu Qiang hurriedly jumped off the bed, clutching his blanket. He grabbed his clothes from the floor but didn't have time to put them on. He turned to run out the front door.
He opened the door and was startled to see a woman standing there. His first instinct was to close the door.
Before he could close the door, a tremendous force, unlike that of a woman, kicked the door open, and Yu Qiang, who was blocking the door, fell to the ground and rolled backward.
"What exactly do you want?! I don't know you, and I don't know Yu Wanqing. You should leave right now."
"You don't even recognize the mother who gave birth to you? Looks like you need to find another place to think things over." Shen Zhenzhu stepped forward, handcuffed him, and went to the balcony to open the glass door and let Zhao Qiqi in.
Zhao Qiqi grabbed Yu Qiang: "Why didn't you acknowledge me when I greeted you? How rude of you!"
Before anyone could ask, Yu Qiang kept saying, "What Yu Wanqing did has nothing to do with me. I don't know anything. I don't know anything."
Yu Qiang was short, dark-skinned, and thin, resembling a black-faced monkey walking upright. Upon seeing his face, Shen Zhenzhu understood why he was still unmarried at his age.
Yu Qiang was still shouting, "I'm innocent, I don't know anything."
Zhao Qiqi went downstairs first and escorted Yu Qiang into the police car, while Shen Zhenzhu and Xiaobai searched the entire four-story building inside and out.
"Sister Pearl, there's a lot of cigarettes and alcohol downstairs on the first floor, all high-quality cigarettes and alcohol," Xiao Bai said, peeking out from downstairs. "There are also quite a few 'double happiness' characters; it seems they're being prepared for Yu Qiang's wedding."
“We need to get someone to help us take stock of the valuables. These things are definitely not legitimate.” Chen Zhenzhu took a rolling pin from the kitchen and tapped on the wall and poked at the ceiling. “He said the money is all with him. We couldn’t find any records at the bank. Maybe it was all cash transactions like with Sister Hong. It’s very likely that it’s hidden at home.”
After finishing his phone call, Xiaobai imitated Chen Zhenzhu, picking up a clothes fork and poking around, searching everywhere.
After searching all four floors, Chen Zhenzhu returned to the room where Yu Qiang was captured, put her hands on her hips and stared at the bed where Yu Qiang was sleeping: "Xiaobai, have Brother Aqi bring up a crowbar."
"Okay." Xiaobai quickly ran downstairs and pointed in the direction when she met an operator who came to help.
When Zhao Qiqi came up, she saw that Shen Zhenzhu had already lifted the mattress to the side, revealing the closed bed frame.
Chen Zhenzhu said, "Brother Aqi, pry it open here."
Zhao Qiqi wedged the crowbar into the gap in the bed frame, held it with one hand, and stomped down hard with his foot. The nailed bed board cracked open with a loud thud.
Shen Zhenzhu put on gloves, lifted the bed board and flipped it upwards. The three of them worked together to throw the bed board aside.
"My goodness." Zhao Qiqi threw away the crowbar and saw bundles of hundred-yuan bills in plastic bags piled up under Yu Qiang's bed.
"Sleeping in a den of cash, you must be laughing in your sleep." Chen Zhenzhu waved her hand, and the agents standing at the door came in to help count the stolen money.
“Yu Wanqing can’t escape now. It’s up to her to say something.” Xiao Bai crossed his arms and looked at the stolen money, which totaled at least several hundred thousand yuan. He said in a low voice, “Just how many people did you kill to have so much money to buy your life?”
Ring ring,
Ring ring.
The cell phone rang.
Shen Zhenzhu took the phone and walked into the corridor.
After a while, Shen Zhenzhu came over and said cheerfully, "Director Liu told us to continue the case. He applied to the provincial department to merge the cases before Bao Lü could."
Xiao Bai pulled Chen Zhenzhu aside and whispered, "Have you paid back that fifty yuan? I still have money in my pocket."
Chen Zhenzhu said, "No need for yours, I had someone take it to you before I left."
Xiao Bai was relieved and said, "That's good. I was really worried that Captain Qiu would try to take advantage of us."
The inventory of the four floors took some time. Some agents discovered that under the beds, there were not only hundred-dollar bills, but also bundles of loose change.
In the car, Yu Qiang continued to argue, claiming he didn't know where the money came from. Zhao Qiqi returned to the car and played the recording for him, but Yu Qiang refused to say a word.
"We still need some time to count the numbers, let's go back first." Chen Zhenzhu got into the car, took the recorder and listened to it.
Back at Jinshan Funeral Home, there were even more wreaths outside. Even the parking lot was filled with over a dozen wreaths.
"Who is this important person who has passed away?" Zhao Qiqi asked the operative next to him casually as he closed the car door.
It's a case of "no fight, no friendship," Officer Bao Lü said. "It's all because Qiao Jinqiu's children released the obituary. People who had met him before and those who hadn't came. Those who knew them came to see Old Qiao one last time, but those who didn't might have thought they were putting pressure on the police to solve the case."
“I think it should be the latter.” Shen Zhenzhu looked up at Qiao Kaiyue and Qiao Qiao, who were supporting each other and crying at the entrance of the funeral home’s reception hall, and walked towards them.
Qiao Qiao has been in tears for the past two days. She choked up as she spoke to the guests, saying, "I'm not filial enough. I haven't been able to take care of my father. I was planning to go home at the end of this year and stay for a while to take good care of him, but who knew he would be murdered."
Qiao Kaiyue had been keeping a low profile these past few days. Now, he was holding an elderly man's hands, sobbing uncontrollably. He was deeply moved by what he heard: "Uncle, thank you for coming. The moment I saw you, I was reminded of the days when you and my father would enjoy tea and paint together. I was influenced by you when I was a child, but unfortunately, I didn't have the talent for it. Before I could even paint a single picture, my father left me. Seeing so many people remembering my father, I... I wish I could go in his place."
"Don't talk nonsense. Your father in heaven would also want you to be well." The old man patted his shoulder heavily, sighing and offering words of comfort.
"I'm heartbroken. My mother passed away early, and my father raised us. Now he's gone too. What am I going to do?" Qiao Kaiyue was overwhelmed with grief and swayed a few times as he spoke, before being helped up by the people around him.
“Your father’s only worry is you. Good child, I know you are filial. You must hold on.” The old man looked around indignantly: “Where is that nanny? She’s a smooth talker who deceived your father and ruined his reputation in his old age. She must be severely punished.”
"She has already been locked up, and she will probably be brought to justice soon."
"That's good, they must be punished properly!"
Shen Zhenzhu stood at the bottom of the steps and waited for nearly forty minutes before Qiao Kaiyue greeted everyone and led them to the meeting room.
There were already people offering incense inside, and the coffin was placed in the middle of the meeting room because the case had not been solved and cremation could not be carried out.
They were talking: "Fortunately, the weather isn't hot. It's been almost a week, and it's even been dissected. When can Old Joe rest in peace?"
Qiao Kaiyue cried out in distress, "I've never been away from my dad in my entire life. He's left me behind. What am I going to do now?"
“Who says otherwise? Your father is really senile. He's so old and he still got married. If you ask me, it was the new bride who did it.”
Qiao Qiao sat on a wooden chair by the wall. Seeing the body her father had dissected, she felt even more saddened: "When I was little, my dad was so good to me. He would even let me ride on his shoulders to the park. Later, when I got married, my dad said that a married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl. I was initially angry about that, but now I realize that my dad was right. I haven't been able to take good care of him these past few years. If I had known he would marry Yu Wanqing, I would never have agreed."
"Section Chief Shen, how's the case going?" Qiao Kaiyue wiped away his tears and saw Shen Zhenzhu standing at the door. Under everyone's gaze, he ran up to Shen Zhenzhu and pleaded, "I saw Yu Wanqing handcuffed. She must have killed my dad, right? Why hasn't the case been solved yet? Can you tell me what you're thinking?"
"So Yu Wanqing has already been handcuffed?" Qiao Qiao, supported by her friend, came to Shen Zhenzhu and grabbed Shen Zhenzhu's hand urgently, saying, "Shoot her! I beg you, you must shoot that poisonous woman!"
The people in the meeting room started talking amongst themselves. Knowing that Yu Wanqing had been detained, they all cursed, "I knew Yu Wanqing wasn't a good person. It turns out it really was her. It's a pity that with such superb skills as Old Master Qiao, so few of his paintings were left behind."
"Yes, the fewer there are, the harder they are to buy. If you ask me, Yu Wanqing has no idea about the influence of Master Qiao in the industry! In order to fight for an inheritance that did not belong to her, she extinguished the old gentleman's life and also caused the calligraphy and painting world to lose a master."
With tears in her eyes, Qiao Kaiyue said, "I believe the law will give my father justice. She has already been detained. I just don't know why there's been no news for so long."
One of the well-dressed men said, "Wait here, I'll call the police chief right now to ask about the situation. They've caught him, we can't let my old friend stay unburied forever."
Hearing the cacophony of voices behind him demanding severe punishment for Yu Wanqing, Qiao Kaiyue's expression turned incredibly sorrowful. He clutched his chest and wept bitterly along with Qiao Qiao.
Shen Zhenzhu quietly observed his expression and state. After waiting for a while, Zhao Qiqi came over and handed her the recorder: "Yu Qiang is still talking the same old nonsense."
"Understood." Chen Zhenzhu put away the recorder, walked up to Qiao Kaiyue and said, "Mr. Qiao, I have some questions I need to discuss with you. Would it be convenient for us to come over and talk?"
Qiao Qiao sat down next to Qiao Kaiyue and asked, "Is there anything you can't say in front of everyone? What tricks does Yu Wanqing have up her sleeve this time?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "It involves a case, so I can't disclose anything casually. Mr. Qiao, please."
Qiao Kaiyue stared at Shen Zhenzhu, stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to the surroundings, and said with a choked voice, "Thank you all for coming to support my father. I will cooperate with the police. I just want my father to be buried as soon as possible."
Once in the corridor, Zhao Qiqi, who was standing nearby, took out handcuffs and handcuffed Qiao Kaiyue.
Qiao Kaiyue was shocked and shook his arms, saying, "What are you doing? What right do you have to arrest me? I am a victim's family member."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "We've caught Sister Hong. What else do you want to explain?"
Qiao Kaiyue stopped struggling and was led by Zhao Qiqi into the interrogation room.
Passing by Bao Lü's office, Chen Zhenzhu ran past without looking to either side.
Although she didn't know what kind of grudge Gu Yanzheng had against them, she had definitely formed a grudge against Bao Lü.
Amitabha Buddha, hurry up and go!
Upon entering the temporary interrogation room, Shen Zhenzhu sat down and watched Qiao Kaiyue weeping without saying a word.
Thinking it would take time, Shen Zhenzhu called Zhao Qiqi over and said, "Take the recording pen and go to Yu Qiang's place to interrogate him again."
Zhao Qiqi nodded: "Okay."
Seeing Zhao Qiqi leave, Qiao Kaiyue stopped crying, wiped away his tears, and looked up to ask, "I don't understand why you arrested me. Why leave Yu Wanqing alone and lock me up here?"
There was a knock on the door behind her. Xiao Bai opened the door and heard the operative outside whisper, "Liu Yuji said he's going to hire a lawyer to sue our investigators, accusing them of bending the law for personal gain."
Xiao Bai said, "What kind of favoritism and perversion of justice is this? Let her sue me. I'm not afraid even if she sues to the heavens."
After closing the door, Xiaobai walked over to Chen Zhenzhu and said something, then sat down, opened her laptop, and glared at Qiao Kaiyue.
After asking the basic questions, Chen Zhenzhu went straight to the point: "Qiao Kaiyue, how did you find Yu Wanqing?"
Qiao Kaiyue, with dark circles under his eyes and bloodshot eyes, looked haggard and said, "A real estate agency."
Chen Zhenzhu asked, "What is the middleman called?"
Qiao Kaiyue said irritably, "Sister Hong."
Chen Zhenzhu asked, "What services did Sister Hong recommend to you? Did she tell you about any special services?"
Qiao Kaiyue clenched his fists, tears welling in his eyes, and said angrily, "They said they would take care of my dad in his old age, and I wouldn't have to worry about his food, drink, or toilet needs. Although the price was a bit high, I hesitated at first, but then my sister said she could help pay a little, so I agreed."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "The price is significantly higher than the market price, would you still agree?"
Qiao Kaiyue said, "Then what can we do? Many people think that the conditions are dirty and they are unwilling to do it."
Chen Zhenzhu asked, "Have you contacted Guo Zhi?"
Qiao Kaiyue asked, "Who is Guo Zhi?"
Are you sure you haven't seen Guo Zhi?
"How can I meet him if I don't even know who he is? You should be investigating the murderer of my father, not these scoundrels!"
Shen Zhenzhu quickly changed the subject and asked Qiao Kaiyue, "I'm investigating the murderer who killed your father. So, do you know about the 'elderly care' service that Sister Hong provides?"
Qiao Kaiyue calmly replied, "I know."
Chen Zhenzhu paused for two seconds, looked at him carefully, and asked, "Do you know what 'elderly care' service means?"
Qiao Kaiyue said, "She took care of my father until he died of natural causes. Because of this, Yu Wanqing's monthly salary was higher than others. But even that wasn't enough for her. I heard that after she married my father, she was still having affairs. Everyone thinks Yu Wanqing is the murderer, so why are you still investigating me?"
Hearing his excuses, Shen Zhenzhu became even more suspicious of him: "The 'elderly care' service you mentioned is completely different from what I understand. I have Sister Hong's ledger. You paid her a deposit of five thousand yuan. What was this money used for?"
“I don’t know how you interpret it, but my understanding is that she, as an intermediary, will find a reliable nanny for my father until he passes away.” Qiao Kaiyue looked directly into Chen Zhenzhu’s eyes and asked in return, “There are also matchmaking agencies outside, some of which charge thousands of yuan, guaranteeing marriage and satisfaction. Could it be that those also have problems?”
"You and I both know what your true purpose is in bringing Yu Wanqing home. I advise you to be honest now and not miss this opportunity."
“Comrade, it’s Yu Wanqing who should confess.” Qiao Kaiyue smiled slightly and said in a low voice, “Everything points to her, and you still haven’t closed the case? Isn’t that bending the law for personal gain?”
Xiao Bai pointed at Qiao Kaiyue and said, "Don't talk nonsense."
Qiao Kaiyue leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and showed his uncooperative attitude: "From now on, I will not say a word unless you deal with Yu Wanqing."
"Whether or not to deal with it is not up to one person to decide." Shen Zhenzhu stood up and said, "I gave you a chance, don't regret it."
Qiao Kaiyue watched Shen Zhenzhu leave, convinced that he had everything under control.
"Sister Pearl, what should we do now?" Xiao Bai thought of Qiao Kaiyue's hateful face and felt even more that there was something wrong with him.
Shen Zhenzhu checked the notebook and said calmly, "We must not be impatient, especially at times like this. It's just a matter of time. The breakthrough still lies with Yu Wanqing. Let's go and take another look at her."
Xiao Bai followed behind Shen Zhenzhu and said, "The perfume, Guo Zhi, the nursing home, and the discovered stolen money all point to Yu Wanqing. Many people outside are making a fuss and want her severely punished."
Shen Zhenzhu stopped and said, "Yu Wanqing has become increasingly cautious since leaving the nursing home, extending the time for the murder by six months. How could she have left so many clues for someone to catch her? It must be that someone wants to use her as a scapegoat. You probably already know who that person is."
Xiao Bai sighed and said, "This case has gone through so many twists and turns; it's really a test of one's abilities."
“The right path is often the hardest to walk,” Chen Zhenzhu said. “Let’s go see her.”
Entering Yu Wanqing's interrogation room, which was temporarily converted from an empty office.
She had her back to the window and her head down, with a desk in front of her. When she saw Chen Zhenzhu come in, she slowly raised her head and looked at Chen Zhenzhu with a tilted face: "I told you it wasn't me, how long are you going to keep me locked up?"
Chen Zhenzhu sat opposite her and asked, "I want to ask you, what is the reason that you have been hiding the identity of the murderer?"
Yu Wanqing said blankly, "I have no idea who the murderer is."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "Do you know that you are a prime suspect?"
"So what? I'm not the murderer. Can you really frame me?"
Shen Zhenzhu smiled and said, "I can't wrong you, but the fact that your son's wedding room contains a huge amount of stolen money doesn't prove your innocence. Your eyes tell me that you know who the murderer is, so why don't you say so?"
Yu Wanqing said through gritted teeth, "That house was newly built. Who knows who put the money there to frame my daughter and me?"
"That's such a kind person, hiding money under your son's bed for no reason," Chen Zhenzhu said. "Why don't I ever encounter such good fortune?"
Yu Wanqing said, "You can interrogate me however you want. My son doesn't know anything. He's not married yet, he's still young."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "It seems you love your son very much."
Yu Wanqing said with a flicker in her eyes, "That's not true. I'm so annoyed with him."
"You must have worried a lot about your son's marriage, right?" Shen Zhenzhu said. "After leaving the Honghe Nursing Home, I felt that I hadn't earned enough, so I found Sister Hong to do 'elderly care' services. I gave all the money I earned to my son, and now I'm sitting here. You are such a good mother."
Yu Wanqing stared blankly at Chen Zhenzhu, never expecting her to investigate so quickly. Unable to hide her shock, she swallowed hard and said, "I don't understand any of this. Arrest me if you want, but don't involve my son."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "It's okay if you don't understand. Sister Hong is right next door. Do you want her to come over and explain it to you?"
"No!" Yu Wanqing knew that Sister Hong couldn't control her mouth and was greedy, and would cause trouble sooner or later. She didn't expect that even Sister Hong would be captured by Chen Zhenzhu.
Yu Wanqing's expression gradually crumbled as she glared at Chen Zhenzhu and said, "Are you going to threaten me too?"
"I'm not threatening you, I'm just acting in accordance with the law." Shen Zhenzhu looked back at her.
Yu Wanqing sneered, "That old lecher treats me like a thief, and he even used sweet words to coax me into taking off my clothes to paint. I've told you all before, he's no good. He deserves to die. Anyway, I didn't kill him."
Is your son an accomplice?
Yu Wanqing said, "No!"
Shen Zhenzhu noticed that Yu Wanqing reacted very strongly every time her son was mentioned, so she tentatively asked, "Did the murderer use your son to threaten you and make you take the blame?"
Yu Wanqing gritted her teeth, avoiding Chen Zhenzhu's probing gaze, and said, "He is my lifeblood, I've lived for him my whole life. Anyway, you've already found out about the nursing home, so it's only a matter of time before I die. If you keep pushing me, I'll just admit that I killed Qiao Jinqiu!"
"It seems I didn't force you, you forced me." Shen Zhenzhu went out for a while, got Zhao Qiqi's voice recorder, and quickly listened to it in the corridor: "Brother Qi, well done."
Zhao Qiqi grinned and followed them back to the interrogation room.
Shen Zhenzhu took out the recording pen and said to Yu Wanqing, "This may be too cruel to you. Do you really want to know what kind of person you are in your son's heart?"
Yu Wanqing was wholeheartedly devoted to Yu Qiang, entrusting all her money to him for safekeeping and spending a lot of money hoping that he could settle down and start a family.
She said with certainty, "His father died early, and my son and I depended on each other for survival. I exhausted all my efforts to raise him. He is the most filial and obedient. If you ask who loves me the most in this world, there will be no one else but my son."
Shen Zhenzhu turned on the voice recorder and started playing the phone call Yu Qiang made before he was arrested.
'...The money's all with me, and it's too late to cut ties with her now. Anyway, it wasn't me who did it; it's better if she dies out there!'
"Why are you arresting me? I don't know what Yu Wanqing has been doing outside. Who knows if she got the money through fraud or prostitution? What's wrong with me spending it? It's only natural for a mother to spend money on her son."
"Isn't it normal for the house to be in my name? She wants me to get married; who would marry her without some money? I'm from a single-parent family, and my circumstances are already difficult. These days, girls either want a complete family or both parents are deceased. If she caused trouble outside, you should deal with her, not me."
'I know nothing. Her execution is her business; you can't touch the house.'
"My partner knows she's been cheating on me with that old man. She stinks like a dog, even her fur coat can't hide it. I'm ashamed of her. I'd rather sell the fur coat and buy my partner a gold necklace."
'She gave me the money she earned outside. She's going to be executed. Does the money still belong to me? I don't need to hand it over, right?'
Yu Wanqing's lips trembled as she reached for the recording pen: "No...this is definitely not what he said. He only ever says 'I love Mom' and 'I thank Mom.' You don't know how well-behaved he was when he was little. When I went out to work, he would stay home quietly reading, sometimes for a whole day. When he saw me come back, he was so happy, he would hug my legs and say he missed Mom...I am his support, and he is my support, we depend on each other for survival..."
"Didn't those elderly people you killed have any warm memories with their children?" Shen Zhenzhu looked at her coldly and said, "When you killed them, did you think about what would happen to you afterwards?"
The recording pen continued to play Yu Qiang's cold-blooded and heartless words, stabbing Yu Wanqing's heart again and again.
Shen Zhenzhu held the recorder to her ear and said, "Listen carefully, can't you tell if it's his voice?"
Yu Wanqing felt as if her heart was breaking. She clutched her left chest tightly, gasping for breath: "Impossible... This child is the kindest, she would never say such a heartless thing."
Chen Zhenzhu leaned on the table and said in a low voice, "Yu Wanqing, what do you think Yu Qiang would do to you if you were paralyzed in bed or had Alzheimer's?"
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Author's Note: Pearl: Tsk, karma.
***
See you tomorrow, there are 100 red envelopes!
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